wonted

Definition of wontednext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wonted distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wonted are accustomed, customary, habitual, and usual. While all these words mean "familiar through frequent or regular repetition," wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

How is accustomed related to other words for wonted?

Accustomed is less emphatic than wonted or habitual in suggesting fixed habit or invariable custom.

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

In what contexts can customary take the place of wonted?

The meanings of customary and wonted largely overlap; however, customary applies to what accords with the practices, conventions, or usages of an individual or community.

the customary waiting period before the application is approved

Where would habitual be a reasonable alternative to wonted?

While in some cases nearly identical to wonted, habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

When could usual be used to replace wonted?

Although the words usual and wonted have much in common, usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wonted His wonted improvisations and other departures from the script did not suggest his usual ease. — Matthew Walther, TheWeek, 13 Mar. 2020 Egypt chose a different path, preferring to return to the wonted pain of dysfunctional autocracy and avoid civil war (although civil war seems even still to be creeping up on the Egyptians out of Sinai and Libya). — Kenneth M. Pollack, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wonted
Adjective
  • Murray says her own experience has made her more understanding when female colleagues seem more tired or irritable than usual, particularly when the behavior is out of character.
    — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Its warped vocal harmonies are ripe and sour, including guest appearances from the band’s friends, and off-kilter squiggles on steel guitar deviate from their usual pattern.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The cutback came soon after the country was hit by dozens of ballistic missiles, which took out power for 600,000 people in Kyiv, without America’s customary advance warnings.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Wallace plays Mia, a spoiled heiress who is sent by her grandfather to Palermo, Sicily, without money or her customary luxuries, to work as a real estate agent in the family business.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • That could create an unusual situation in which an ordinary consumer turns on a feature built into a mainstream device and, at least technically, runs afoul of state law by using it during a private conversation without everyone's consent.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos,Annie Palmer, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Spanish scientists have developed an experimental type of self-disinfecting cotton fabric, which is activated via ordinary white light.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Compared to conventional microscopes, the Airscope offers a complete upgrade in neural imaging.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Grid current passes through silicon carbide transistors that switch at high frequency before sending it through a small conventional transformer, preserving the essential electrical isolation between the grid and everything downstream.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • With stimulus checks gone and student loan payments back, Maggiulli suggests the drop may partly be a return to normal.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In both cases, people with pre-existing hypertension experienced bigger drops in systolic and diastolic pressure than those with normal blood pressure.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 17 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Strikes in France, particularly student strikes, are commonplace and go on all the time.
    — Caroline Mimbs Nyce, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Murmurs of surprises and spoilers—commonplace for blockbusters but hardly typical for documentaries—spread like wildfire in the lead-up to the release.
    — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Minutes from the April 19 meeting outlined how the government opted for just one round of readiness checks before launching its emergency vaccination program due to time constraints, instead of the typical four rounds.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Such moves are typical of presidential hopefuls from both parties seeking to bolster their alliances nationwide.
    — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • In each case, what began as the characteristic business cultures of the two AI superpowers is now embedded in their foreign policy.
    — NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Humans, for example, typically have their hearts on the left, while other internal organs occupy characteristic positions.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wonted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wonted. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster